6 Top Features to Look for When Buying a New Home
Buying a new home is a thrilling process that ensures you can make whatever life you want for yourself. Every home you look at, every area you visit, and each listing you read could be the difference between renting and finding your forever home.
Everything can be overwhelming when going through this process, so you must keep a clear image of the parts of a home that matter the most to you. These are the top features to seek out when you're lost and why they matter!
1. Gorgeous Roofing You'll Want to Show Off
Your roof is what keeps you safe and allows your belongings to stay dry and kept away from the weather: so it's a good idea to seek out a home with a good roof. If the roof is older, you'll have to pay tens of thousands of dollars to replace it, and that's not acceptable for most people. Instead, consider giving yourself the chance to get a roof that is both attractive and will last as long as possible.
An extremely popular choice is a terracotta roof, which will last anywhere from fifty to a hundred years, is weather-resistant, and looks gorgeous. Terracotta roof tiles are strong against the element, and because of their unique makeup, you can find them in a large range of colors, styles, and sizes, unlike most types of roof shingles. This is a must-seek item for any home buyers.
2. A Pool and Deck Combo for Lounging
With how scorching the summers have been lately, there's a large push for people to gain their pools. Therefore, it's important when shopping for homes that have pools that you know what you're looking at. A good pool should have a pool deck drain and the ability to fence it off for safety in many cities.
Consider how often you'll be able to clean it, or if you'll want to hire a service and the amount of water it needs. If you're house shopping somewhere that is constantly in a drought, this may be a portion of the home that you'll want to skip since it might not be able to be used often enough to be worth it.
3. Updated Doors and Windows
The better your doors and windows are, the better chance that your heating and cooling bills will stay low. This means all windows and doors. If you visit a property and the garage door looks older or dented: you'll want to start looking up garage door replacement costs.
Good garage doors help keep the garage at a comfortable temperature, which protects the door that leads into the home through it and ensures that anything you own in your garage is safe and not being damaged from heat or water.
4. A Location Near Most Things You Want and Need
Location matters! Where you live affects what items you have nearby and what matters most to you. Although it can be expensive if you want to live downtown in a city or close to higher-paying jobs, it's a good idea to consider the distance you'll have to drive to get where you need to go.
This includes schools since students will have to make that trip 180 days a year. So if you have kids, or are planning on having them soon, consider what school system you want them in and how far they'll have to travel to get to class every day.
5. Siding that Makes You Proud of Your Property
What siding you have will change everything. Not only because of the attractiveness of your home, like how steel siding catches everyone’s eyes- but also because of your insulation and how well it blocks out moisture, insects, and weather. The outside of your home should be gorgeous and should make you proud to call it your home when you move in, but it should also protect everything that’s indoors the way steel siding does.
6. An HVAC System That’s Safe and Comfortable
How old is the HVAC system of the properties you're looking at? An older HVAC system will take time to heat or cool your home, and it might not even keep it at the temperatures you want: which means it will run longer and cost more money. So it's important to consider if you can afford to replace or update it and whether that makes a property worth it.
Also, keep an eye out for smart products like a smart home thermostat that will allow you to control the temperature even when you’re not home.
Your New Home Can Be a Dream Come True
Buying a home allows you to set yourself up for a possible future that can be hard to avoid getting excited about! This is a huge step towards the next part of your life, so it's important to consider everything you want that step to include. Then, find a home that suits you: and you'll never regret it!
Andrea Erickson is a contributor to Innovative Building Materials. She is a blogger and content writer for the real estate industry. Andrea is focused on helping fellow homeowners, contractors, and architects discover materials and methods of construction that increase property value, maximize energy savings, and turn houses into homes.